When was Travis Kelce drafted? Revisiting 2013 NFL Draft
There weren't many consensus blue-chip players in the 2013 NFL Draft. There were even fewer high-quality quarterbacks, with many wondering whether one of Geno Smith or EJ Manuel would be selected in the first round.
The battle for the No. 1 overall pick turned into a battle between Jake Fisher and Luke Joeckel. At the same time, Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner and West Virginia receiver Tavon Austin were viewed as two of the class's more exciting players.
All told, the warnings about the strength of the draft class proved valid. Many of the top selections in the 2013 NFL Draft ultimately proved to be busts, and few from the 254-man class went on to become consistent, high-quality NFL players.
Among them was tight end Travis Kelce. The Cincinnati product wasn't selected in the first round of the draft, and most only knew him as the younger brother of Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.
Even so, the athletic prospect performed well enough to draw the interest of Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs. And since being selected, Kelce has turned himself into one of the best players from the entire 2013 NFL Draft.
When was Travis Kelce drafted?
The Kansas City Chiefs selected Kelce in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. The Cincinnati product was the 63rd overall selection and the fifth tight end chosen in the draft to that point.
Kelce ranks No. 1 among all 2013 draftees in total receptions (1,004) and ranks second in receiving yards (12,151) and receiving touchdowns (77) behind only DeAndre Hopkins. The two played together during the 2024 NFL season after the Chiefs acquired Hopkins via trade from the Tennessee Titans.
Who was the No. 1 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft?
Eric Fisher was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. The Chiefs selected the offensive tackle out of Central Michigan and planned to make him the team's long-term starter at left tackle.
Fisher played 132 games (128 starts) across nine career NFL seasons, eight in Kansas City and one with the Indianapolis Colts. He was named a Pro Bowler twice, in 2018 and 2020, and won Super Bowl 55 while blocking on Patrick Mahomes' blind side.
Kelce and Fisher played together for all eight of Fisher's seasons with the Chiefs. Kelce is entering his 13th season with the Chiefs in 2025.
2013 NFL Draft: Every player selected before Travis Kelce
Kelce was selected atop the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Below is a look at all the players selected before him:
Kelce is one of just 12 players from the 2013 NFL Draft class to be named an All-Pro first-teamer. His four All-Pro first-team nods are tied for the most in the class with Cordarrelle Patterson, who has earned his four as a return specialist.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Brady didn't understand football, says Rooney after 'work ethic' jibe
Wayne Rooney has described criticism of his work ethic by Birmingham minority owner Tom Brady as "unfair" and said the NFL legend did not understand football. Former Manchester United and England captain Rooney, was sacked as Birmingham manager in January 2024 after less than three months in charge. Seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Brady, who became a minority shareholder at Birmingham in August 2023, said he was "a little worried about our head coach's work ethic" during a recently-aired documentary after visiting Blues' training ground two months later. "I think Tom came in once, which was the day before a game where the days are a little bit lighter anyway, and I don't think he really understood football that well," Rooney said on his new podcast, The Wayne Rooney Show. "Football is not NFL -- NFL works for three months a year. Players do need rest as well, so I think he's very unfair, the way he's come out and portrayed that." Following Rooney's departure, Birmingham appointed Tony Mowbray and Gary Rowett as managers in the 2023/24 season but were relegated to League One. "When I went into Birmingham, they were in a mess really," added Rooney. "Hence the fact that the players weren't really the players who could take the club forward. Since then the project, headed by American-based hedge fund Knighthead Capital, has turned around. Birmingham's wealthy backers invested an unprecedented £30 million ($41 million) in transfers for a League One club last season and broke an English Football League record by amassing 111 points as they stormed to the title. "Listen, I respect Tom Brady massively," said Rooney. "He's one of the greatest, if not the greatest athletes of all time and Birmingham do look like they're getting it right now, which is good and I think what they have done is got the players out that they needed to get out." kca/pi
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Wayne Rooney 'disappointed' with Tom Brady over work ethic comments in documentary
LONDON (AP) — England soccer great Wayne Rooney has some beef with Tom Brady after some pointed comments by the NFL superstar in a fly-on-the-wall documentary. Brady became a minority owner of English club Birmingham City in 2023 and was involved in a docuseries — 'Built in Birmingham' — that went behind the scenes at the team that was briefly managed by Rooney, the former Manchester United forward. In one clip that quickly spread over social media, Brady said he was 'a little worried about our head coach's work ethic.' That remark referred to Rooney, who lasted just 83 days as manager before being fired as Birmingham slipped down the second-tier Championship. Rooney has responded to the seven-time Super Bowl champion in his new role as a pundit for the BBC, saying Brady's comment was 'very unfair.' 'Tom came in once, which was the day before a game, which is a little bit lighter anyway,' Rooney said in an interview with the BBC published on Thursday, 'and I don't think he really understood football that well at the time. Maybe he does now. 'But what he does understand is that he's a hard worker. We know that. So that's why I'm really disappointed with the comment, because football is not NFL. NFL works for three months in a year, players do need rest as well, so I think he was very unfair in the way he's come out and portrayed that.' Birmingham was relegated in that campaign but secured immediate promotion last season and is back in the Championship — one league away from the Premier League. 'Listen, I respect Tom Brady massively — he's one of the greatest, if not the greatest athlete of all time,' Rooney said. 'And Birmingham do look like they are getting it right now, which is good.' ___ AP soccer:
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Is Packers QB Jordan Love in danger of missing Week 2 game vs. Commanders?
Could the Washington Commanders be facing a backup quarterback for their Week 2 showdown against the Green Bay Packers? In Green Bay's preseason opener against the New York Jets, quarterback Jordan Love tried to escape the pocket, and his left hand made contact with a New York defender's helmet, leading to a "ligament issue," per Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst. Love did undergo a procedure, and Gutekunst believes not only will Love be ready for Green Bay's Week 1 contest against the defending NFC North champion Detroit Lions, but that he'd return to practice next week. "Obviously, you guys saw him out there, he certainly was able to function," Gutekunst said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN. "But as we looked at all the options and he did as well, the best option I think for him to get back the fastest and feel the best was to do this. He wanted to go out there yesterday to kind of see how it felt, and once we got through that, we made the decision." That's good news for the Packers, who have a tough slate to begin the season. Green Bay hosts Detroit in Week 1, and hosts the Commanders in Week 2 on Amazon Prime. The most encouraging part of this for the Packers is that Love's left non-throwing hand is involved. However, for a quarterback, the opposite hand is important, too. An injury to the non-throwing hand could impact Love's ability to receive the snap under center. The Packers believe that with Love undergoing the procedure, there will be no issues for Week 1, much less for Week 2. The Commanders were 12-5 last season and open the 2025 season against the New York Giants in Week 1. This will be Love's first meeting as a starting quarterback against Washington. It's also Jayden Daniels' first game against the Packers. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Could Packers' injury impact their Week 2 vs. Commanders?
